Breaking plateau?

[runner03]

Okay so I need some help...
I have not been able to lose for a while. This past month I have only lost 1 lb with fasted cardio in the morning 5 days a week and lifting at night 5 days a week-- I take in 1300-1400 calories a day with an average day of 50-60% carbs, 30-40% protein and about 10-15% fat. I eat very clean.

Bfast is always 1/2 cup oatmeal w/ 1/2 cup fat free cottage cheese

Snack is apple/yogurt or just a big apple depending on the time I have to eat

Lunch is usually soup which is always low fat and high in protein around 250cals plus 16 baby carrots

snack(pre-workout) is then usually a chicken sausage- 110 cals with tons of protein and like 5 grams of fat. or a banana and yogurt depending on what I had earlier in the day.

then my supper (post workout) is usually 4-5 oz chicken breast and 4tbsp of popcorn that I pop without anything on it.
or a sandwich and apple if I have class.

This comes out to 1300-1400 cals depending on the day. Some days I may get up to 1500 on occasion but not very often.

I do around 40minutes of cycling in the morning and then lift for about an hour at night. I do 2 heavy days a lower and an upper body power day (usually 5 reps x 3-5 sets) and then 3 days of higher reps broken into lower body, shoulders/arms and chest/back which I which is usually 20 x 3 sets of each exercise.

In 2005 I did have some issues and got down to about 95 lbs which killed my metabolism I know but now I am up to about 137 lbs and have been lifting and eating right for a couple of years. I would have thought my metabolism would have been repaired by now?? I am stronger than I ever have been and know I have put on a lot of muscle. I don't want to do any kind of bulk because it takes me forever to lose even 5 lbs and I have high enough body fat right now that I don't need to add any. I would like to get to about 130 which I know would make me a solid if I could just get rid of the fat!

I take a multi-vitamin, aloe vera, b6 and b12, calcium/vit d...I don't drink coffee anymore because I have an ulcer and I don't drink pop either. I drink on average about 60 oz of water a day.

I am limited on my cardio, I can't run or do anything like that because from running too much and over pronating I now have chronic compartment syndrome. I can only do elliptical or cycle and I prefer cycling.

Any ideas? I am afraid to add calories because it seems when I do I just gain weight! It's very strange, like my body is super sensitive....??

Thank you for any advice

[freebirdmac]

Take your cals up to 1800 where they belong for fat loss and increase your good fat intake to around 50g. Do it slowly if you need to. Like 100 calories a week.

[runner03]

Take your cals up to 1800 where they belong for fat loss and increase your good fat intake to around 50g. Do it slowly if you need to. Like 100 calories a week.

Okay I will go ahead and try that. I have to admit I am afraid to increase my calories even though I know that it probably is the answer...I will do it in 100 calorie increments over the next few weeks and see how it goes.

I was going higher on fat with almonds and natural peanut butter but with this ulcer it's kind of hard to do that because that tends to make it flare up...but if I am increasing calories then the fat increase shouldn't be so bad.

I will give it a try!!


Thanks

[daviess]

sounds like your metabolism has slowed from long term dieting?
do you incorporate cheat meals?
id do carb cycling with a really good carb up day, that will really stoke your thyroid.